Hinged container



Aug. 22 1933. A wm 1,923,560

fiINGED CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I (TE-5:? 30 j 2 750-26 30'26 9 a .f 27 2 272915 2725 id 7 Aug. 22, 1933. F. A wHn-rAKER 1,923,560

HINGED CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vzflpadwam N disclosed may be varied to suit Patented Aug. 22 1933 STATES PATENT OFFICE signer to Marathon Co a Corporation of Massachusetts mpany, Attleboro, Mass,

Application July 29, 1931. 'Serial No. 553,744

3 Claims.

This invention relates to covered containers and pertains more particularly to improvements in the hinge construction of cigarette cases, compact cases or similar articles. The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a simple and economical box or container having a pair of hinged members which are slidable relatively to each other along the hinge so that the case members may be locked in closed position or released from locking engagement by sliding the lid or cover relative to the bottom. A further object is to incorporate in the sliding hinge joint a simple and efiicient form of spring which tends to urge the box members apart whereby the lid is automatically opened when the lock or catch is released.

The particular features of the improved case or container are hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating recommended embodiments of the invention, and such features will be pointed out in the appended claims; it being understood that the structural details of the devices herein particular purposes without departing from the spirit of this invention.

In the drawings, a

Fig. l is a perspective view of a preferred form of the improved container;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lid partially opened;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the opened case;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary composite View showing the construction of the hinge portions of the respective box members;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through that portion of the hinge joint indicated by the lines 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail view or" the catch for locking the box members in closed position;

Fig. '7 is a section on line 7-'7 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional and end views respectively of the spring elements forming part of the hinge of the case shown in Figs. 1 to 3;

Figs. 10 to 12 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 to 3, but showing a modified form of container;

Fig. 13 is a composite view of the separated container member and the connecting pintle;

Fig. la is an enlarged section on line l4-14 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the spring elements. 7

In the particular embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration in Figs. 1 to 9, the container comprises top and bottom members 21 and 22, respectively, hinged together at the back 23 so that the two parts may slide with respect to each other along the hinge, and has a catch such as the mutually engaging locking elements 24 and 25 at the front of the respective members. The catch elements are engaged by sliding the box members into registration to lock the box in closed position, and are disconnected by sliding the members relatively to each other in the opposite direction thereby to release the catch and free the lid (Fig. 2) so that it may swing open to the position of Fig. 3. A spring element, hereinafter more fully described, is preferably incorporated in the hinge for automatically opening the case when the catch is released.

The hinge joint connecting two case members comprises two or more (as here shown, three) spaced ears or knuckles 26 and 27 preferably formed as integral socket portions of the back walls of the respective members and adapted to receive a pintle, for example the hinge pin 28. The hinge cars 26 are shorter than the complemental recesses 29 within which they are received and the ears 27 are shorter than the complemental spaces 30, so that the knuckles may be slid relative to each other axially of the pin 28, the extent of movement being limited by the intervening spaces 31 (Fig. 3) between adjacent knuckles.

A separate tube 32 preferably surrounds the pin 28 between one pair of the hinge parts 26 and 27' (therecesses 29' and 30 being lengthened for this purpose), and a coiled spring 33 is housed within this tube. The spring ends 34 and 35 project transversely from the tube in opposite directions and bear against the back walls. of the respective case members 21 and 22, thereby tending to urge the lid away from the bottom of the case and henceautomatically opening the case as soon as the sliding catch 24, 25 is disengaged. The tube 32 may be free to slide along the pin 28 independently of either box member, or one of the bent spring ends may engage in a notch or recess 36 (Fig. 5) of the cover .21, for example, to restrain movement of the tube relative to the cover.

A pair of sleeves 37 and 38 may be inserted through the ears 26 and 27 from opposite ends of the hinge joint to provide bearings for the hinge ears and hence relieve the central wire pin 28 from frictional wear. The inner ends or" the sleeves are spaced apart to allow for movement of the tube 32 and its spring 33 along the hinge pin (Fig. 5). In assembling the case, the sleeves may be slipped through the aligned hinge ears at opposite ends of the joint, the tube 32 is placed in the space between the opposed ends of the sleeves, and the hinge pin is then inserted through the sleeves and the intermediate tube and spring. While the pin 28 preferably extends from end to end of the joint, the provision of the sleeves 3'7 and 38 allows the use of a shorter pin, for the pin need only be long enough to support the spring-carrying tube between the spaced sleeves.

In the modified embodiment illustrated in Figs. 10 to 14, the external appearance and the mode of operation of the container is substantially the same as above described, and the catch and hinge are similar in many respects to the previous example. The hinge construction of the optional arrangement comprises ears 41 formed on the back Wall of the case cover 42, complemental ears 43 integral with the bottom member 44 and having projecting sleeves 45 preferably fixed therein respectively, and a hinge pin 46 inserted through the aligned ears and sleeves.- A tube 47 housing a coiled spring 48 surrounds the pin 46 between adjacent hinge ears at one side or" the center of the joint; and a collar 49 having a reduced end or sleeve portion 50 is threaded on the pin between adjacent ears at the opposite side of the central part of the hinge.

This construction allows the fixed sleeves 45 to be inserted in the complemental ears 43 to connect the box member before the spring housing 47 and collar 49 are located and the pintle 46 is applied to complete the hinge assembly. The-hinged members are slidable relatively to each other in the manner above explained, and the use of the collar 49 lends a symmetrical appearance to the finished joint.

One end 51 of the spring preferably engages in an opening 52 formed in a flange 53 of the back wall of thecase bottom 44; and the opposite end 54 of the spring engages'in a slot or recess 55 at the edge of the adjacent wall of front member 42. Hence, the position of the tube 47 is fixed relative to the bottom 44, while the spring end 54 may slide longitudinally of the case front within the elongate slot 55.

The spring tends to urge the case members apart so that the container is automatically opened when its sliding catch 56 is released.

It is thus apparent that a containerv constructed in either of the modes herein disclosed is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, compact and neat in appearance, and particularly handy to use. The lid may be closed or released by sliding the cover with the thumb while the container is clasped by one hand, and the cover springs open as soon as its catch is released. The hinge comprises relatively few parts which operate smoothly and efiiciently and which are extremely durable. By locating the, spring direct 1y on the pivot member of the hinge, its relatively shortends engage the adjacent surfaces of the 1 respective. box members withoutinter- 'posite ends iering with the movement of the hinge ears or projecting unduly into the space within the container. As above indicated the container may be used for cigarettes, for cosmetics or for other articles, as desired.

I claim:

1. A container of the class described, comprising a pair of members each having integral spaced hinge ears, the ears of one member being received in the spaces between adjacent ears of the other member and the ears being shorter than the complemental spaces so that the members are slidable relative to each other along the hinge, a pintle passing through the cars, a pair of sleeves surrounding the pintle and extending through complemental hinge cars at opof the hinge joint, the inner ends of said sleeves being spaced from each other, 'a

tube surrounding the pintle intermediate said sleeves, and a spring coiled around the pintle within said tube, the opposite ends of the spring projecting from said tube .and bearing against the respective members thereby to urge said members apart.

'2. A container comprising a pair of members hinged together and movable relatively to each other axially along the hinge, the respective members each having integral hinge ears received in complemental spaces between adjacent ears of the other member and, disposed in axial alignment, the length of each of the hinge ears being appreciably less than the lengthof the complemental space in which it is received to permit relative movementof said members axially of the hinge, sleevesfixed in the ears of one member and slidably received within the ears of the other member, a pintle passing through the aligned ears and sleeves, a tube on the pintle intermediate one pair of adjacent'ears, a coiled spring within said tube, the ends of the spring bearing against the respective members and tending to urge said members apart, and a collar located on the pintle between another pair of ears.

3. A container comprising a pair of members hinged together and movable relatively to each other axially along the hinge, the respective members each having integral hinge ears received in complemental spaces between adjacent ears of the other member and disposed in axial permit relative movement of said membersaxially of the hinge, sleeves fixed in the ears of one member and slidably received within the ears of the other member, a pintle passing through the aligned ears and sleeves, a tube on the pintle intermediate one pair of adjacent ears, a coiled spring within said tube, one of said members having an opening in its back wall and the other member havingan elongate recess in the edge of the back wall, and the opposite ends of the spring being received in said opening and said recess respectively, whereby the spring is iixed in position relative to one member and is movable relative to the second member.

Y FREDERICK A. WHITTAKER. 

